R.E.M. have announced they are splitting up via their website Remhq.com this evening (21 September).
The band who formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980, suggested they felt the group had reached its natural end and so had decided to "call it a day".
"To our fans and friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band," they wrote in a joint statement on the site. "We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished."
The band's individual members also gave their take on the split, with Mike Mills saying he could not see where the band would go next.
"During our last tour, and while making Collapse Into Now and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, What next? Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey," he wrote. "We realised that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together."
Peter Buck added that the group would "walk away as great friends. I know I will be seeing them in the future", while frontman Michael Stipe joked that "A wise man once said, The skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave. We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it."
He added he hoped the band's supporters would understand their reasons for calling time on R.E.M..
"I hope our fans realise this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way," he explained.
"We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It's been amazing."
6:51 PM | 21/09/2011
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No farewell tour, no final album, no big song and dance. Simply thank you and goodnight. Respect due to one of THE greatest bands ever. A parting of the ways steeped in dignity which typifies a truly original and maverick band who did everything on their own terms and helped define alternative music. It can be argued that they were past their best after 'New Adventures...' (although 'Up' deserves a reappraisal) but they carried their elder statesman position admirably. Michael, Peter, Mike and Bill - thank you.
Posted by JDM2020 at 5:25 AM | 22/09/2011 | Report Abuse
in the name of hungarian rem funs, we hope, its only a wrong dream. We are waiting the next tours, till they live...
and congrat. the 31 years
Posted by eva at 12:04 PM | 22/09/2011 | Report Abuse
Really sad news. I'm 22 and grew up with these guys. It's like the end of an era but one I'll never forget. Even if they don't write or release anything new, their timeless music they release before will always be playing on my iPod.
Posted by Zach at 5:28 PM | 22/09/2011 | Report Abuse
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